The Relationship Between World Trade And The Number Of World Cup Teams Is Undeniable

Spain's players celebrate
after the final whistle at their 2010 World Cup final soccer
match against Netherlands at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg
July 11, 2010.REUTERS/Kai
Pfaffenbach

The most recent expansion of the World Cup took place before the
1998 tournament, when FIFA opened the tournament to 32 teams. And
there has recently been speculation the tournament could expand
to 40 teams.

This chart out of Goldman Sachs new report "The World Cup and
Economics 2014" shows how world exports and World Cup expansion
have roughly been in step since the tournament's inception in
1930. Back then, only 13 teams participated.

During that period, world exports increased from around $30
billion to $22 trillion today.

"Although the
decision on how many countries participate in
the World Cup is made by FIFA’s governing bodies, the same market
forces that are driving up exports are
also likely to push for a
larger representation of teams, especially as African and Asian
nations increase their presence on the global stage," wrote the
analysts.